Water group, residents want DeKalb County to halt shutoffs immediately

DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. - A coalition of advocacy groups and DeKalb County residents is demanding an immediate halt to water shutoffs until the county’s new water affordability program takes effect on July 1.

At a press conference Tuesday morning outside the DeKalb County Department of Watershed Management in Decatur, representatives from the Legal Defense Fund (LDF), DeKalb Water Watch, American Friends Service Committee, South River Watershed Alliance, and Working Families Power joined with impacted residents to call for a moratorium on shutoffs. They say the ongoing disconnections are hitting low-income, Black, and disabled residents the hardest.

Advocates have spent nearly a decade pushing for reforms, including income-based billing caps, fair payment plans, and protection from water shutoffs. While the Board of Commissioners has approved the new policies and created a Customer Advocate Office to assist residents, shutoffs continue under what critics call an outdated and unjust billing system.

Star McKenzie, founder of DeKalb Water Watch, said the new system caps bills at 3% of household income and establishes reasonable payment plans for those facing financial hardship.

The press conference took place just before the DeKalb County Board of Commissioners meeting, where the public had the opportunity to offer comments on the issue.

RELATED: DeKalb County leaders vote to hike water and sewer rates

In February, DeKalb County leaders voted to hike water and sewer rates 10% over the next 10 years. For a resident currently paying $70 per month, the hike would raise their bill to $76 this year, $84 in 2026, and more than $112 by 2029. The funds from the rate hikes are earmarked for renovating the Scott Candler Water Treatment Facility and other infrastructure projects.

What's next:

DeKalb County DCEO Lorraine Cochran-Johnson announced Tuesday afternoon that she and other senior county staff will talk about disputed residential water bills, current payment practices, affordability programs and other topics on Wednesday morning.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates,